Mayor Eric Adams. Photo NYC City Hall
Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Expands HOME+ Program, Connecting Survivors to Free Home Security Resources to Prevent Homelessness
The Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) announced the expansion of HOME+, a program that provides free and confidential security resources to survivors of domestic and gender-based violence who want to stay in their homes instead of entering shelter or going somewhere else. The program first launched in 2021 to provide survivors with emergency-response systems, personal alarms that clients can customize to notify trusted family, friends, service providers or police when activated. Starting today, HOME+ has expanded to provide survivors with additional options, including lock, door, and window repair and replacement services, when appropriate, including basic lock installation/replacement within 24 hours.
HOME+ is a redesign of New York City Human Resources Administration’s (HRA) Alternative to Shelter (ATS) program, eliminating requirements for an active order of protection and police response for program participation. Through an investment of over $1 million from the Adams administration, the program supports a larger number of survivors by moving the program from City-run to operation by borough-based non-profit service providers. This change has resulted in a doubling of the number of program participants. Like other ENDGBV programming, HOME+ services are available to survivors regardless of language, income, gender identity, immigration status or demographic factors.
HOME+ operates through partnerships between ENDGBV and local domestic and gender-based violence services organizations, whose staff work directly with program participants to assess risk, coordinate referrals, and provide related case management services.
“HOME+ helps provide the resources needed to enhance basic safety measures for individuals and families affected by domestic, intimate-partner, or gender-based violence,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “There are few things more anxiety-filled than coming home to a broken window, lock, door, or having the feeling of being unsafe in your own home. The program extends support for survivors so that they can have the peace of mind knowing that they can call for help regardless of their ability to pay or their immigration status. Thank you to ENGBV and our partners for making this program possible.”
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home,” said Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Commissioner Cecile Noel. “HOME+ strengthens the City’s efforts to increase safety and stability for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence and helps empower survivors who often suffer silently and fear seeking out the help they need. Survivors are never alone, and help is always here for them through a wide range of City resources including this crucial program. We are grateful for our HOME+ program partners, the Violence Intervention Program, WomanKind, Seaman’s Society, HELP R.O.A.D.S./USA, and Rising Ground without whom we could not deliver and expand the comprehensive set of services we offer to survivors from diverse communities throughout the City.”
“ENDGBV continues to center the needs of survivors of domestic and gender-based violence by expanding the critical services provided through the HOME+ program. This program is crucial to the City’s efforts to provide survivors the security devices and services they need to feel safe and remain in their homes,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Gary P. Jenkins. “We are so thankful for the incredible work ENDGBV is doing to serve the City’s survivors, regardless of their immigration status or income, and for the HOME+ program partners who will ensure that all those in need of these services will have access to them.”
HOME+ operates in all five boroughs through partnerships with non-profit organizations HELP R.O.A.D.S./USA (Brooklyn), Rising Ground (Manhattan), Seaman’s Society (Staten Island), Violence Intervention Program (Bronx), and WomanKind (Queens). City-contacted vendor Maximum Security of Brooklyn provides lock, door, and window repair and replacement services. All calls and emails to ATS will be referred to the HOME+ provider in the appropriate borough. For help with HOME+, survivors can contact these numbers in their borough:
- BRONX: Violence Intervention Program (VIP), 1-800-664-5880
- BROOKLYN: HELP R.O.A.D.S./USA, 1-718-922-7980
- MANHATTAN: STEPS at Rising Ground, 1-877-783-7794
- QUEENS: Womankind, 1-888-888-7702 (call), 1-929-207-5907 (text only)
- STATEN ISLAND: Seamen’s Society for Children & Families, 1-917-524-5819
“HELP R.O.A.D.S./USA believes in survivor autonomy and HOME+ emphasizes survivors choosing who they want to respond when an emergency arises,” said HELP R.O.A.D.S/USA Executive Director Hayley Carrington-Walton. “We’re able to bolster client’s safety plans with this low barrier program that focuses on the survivor’s idea of safety, and increases their access to home security devices, lock, window, and door repair services within 24-hours.”
“A home is one’s haven and for survivors of domestic violence it should be as safe as possible,” said Rising Ground, Inc. Executive Vice President & Chief Program Officer Susan Sampogna. “On behalf of all our survivors and staff, we thank the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence for expanding HOME+ to further provide the much-needed security safeguards that will help to save lives and empower survivors with the added protection they require.”
“Seamen’s Society is proud to partner with the City and other colleagues to implement Home+ and provide these critical services to survivors on Staten Island,” said Seaman’s Society for Children & Families Vice President of Programs Felicia Soodeen. “This program is in keeping with the mission of Seamen’s Society to educate, empower, advocate, and support individuals, families and communities affected by domestic and intimate partner violence. We provide a safe space for survivors to focus on their goals, gain information and skills, plan, access support and resources and build a sense of community.”
“The first step towards justice is prioritizing the survivor’s needs, and that means ensuring security and safety,” said Violence Intervention Program Senior Clinical Director of Community & Specialized Programs Rosaana Conforme.
“Home should be a place of comfort, safety, and nurturance, free from violence and abuse,” said WomanKind Assistant Director of Special Programs Shan Huang. “Womankind is honored to partner with ENDGBV to offer such services, and we stand in solidarity with all survivors of GBV.”
“We at Maximum Security Group Inc. are honored to take part in this effort to provide security and peace of mind to the survivors and our fellow New Yorkers in all five boroughs, said Maximum Security Group Inc. CEO & Founder James Forbes. “We will provide fast reliable service by securing all doors and windows of each premise in order to help survivors feel at ease and focus on the more important issues.”
